Flashpoint
by websurffer
Summary: series of oneshots. Main pairing House/Wilson. 1000 prompt challenge, sort of. Warning : Slash
1. Black and White

PROMPT 83- BLACK AND WHITE

Hollow eyes stared down at ivory keys. A teardrop fell from the end of his nose to land with a tiny splash. A shaky hand swiped angrily at his cheeks. He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't going to let himself mourn for something that never was. And yet….

Amber was so much like him though. The only real difference was that _Amber was female._ And House was not.

He wished it were something else. Something he could change. His gender, while technically changeable, was an integral part of him. Even if he had the surgeries and such, he'd still be _male_. He sniffed lightly and gently stroked the piano keys, wiping away the teardrops.

There was a knock on the door.

He wasn't sure if he should answer. It could only really be one person and he didn't particularly want to face James Wilson at the moment. Not with puffy red eyes and salt tracks streaking down his face.

The knocking was becoming more insistent. Jimmy just couldn't leave him alone could he? Heaving a sigh, House levered himself to his feet and limped towards the door.

His hand on the knob, House took a long shuddering breath and quietly thudded his head against the smooth wood grain. The knocking instantly ceased.

"House…Please, House, just let me in…"

Tears were forming again and House rubbed harshly at his eyes. God he was a mess. He swung the door violently open, swollen eyes locking with Wilson's. The younger man froze, his eyes widening in shock.

"What?"

The word seemed to free Wilson, and with a lunge strong arms wrapped securely around House. He was crushed in the embrace, he ribcage creaking, his face buried in the soft cloth covering Wilson's shoulder. As Wilson whispered, all of House's remaining emotional walls and shields collapsed, leaving him bared and crying weakly into the fabric.

"No one can replace you, House. I see that now. No one can ever take your place in my heart."


	2. Coward

PROMPT 154- COWARD

He watched another walk away. A dead body that just hadn't stopped yet. And he was afraid. James Wilson was terrified of the death he dealt with every single day. Death made him want to curl up in a corner and wait until it disappeared and he didn't have to acknowledge its existence again until it walked by once more.

Sometimes Wilson wished he was more like House. House per sued death. Hunting after the final mistress with an unflagging hunger. Fighting her for the lives of his patients with reckless games of dice. House had no fear of death, not for himself. He feared the death of others only a little, adding it to the pain he already held.

Sometimes Wilson wished he wasn't such a coward, and with that final wish he let himself fall from the bridge.


	3. Body Temperature

PROMPT 91- BODY TEMPERATURE

986 days. 2 years 8 months and 16 days, more or less. Wilson hadn't left him yet so House decided that today warranted a sign from him the he was grateful. But it need to be subtle, he had a reputation to protect after all.

House dropped a thermometer on top of the paperwork Wilson had been in the middle of filling out.

"OK…" Wilson gave him a puzzled look. "What's this for? I feel fine, great in fact, so you can't be implying that I'm sick and just not admitting to it. None of my patients are any sicker than they were yesterday so it isn't that either. You seem as ok as you ever are so you aren't trying to say you're sick, and if you were you'd be whinier anyways. And you don't have a case. I'm completely at a loss."

Ah Wilson, always so suspicious.

"98.6"

"Body temperature, yes I know. I went to med school too. Not that I needed to for that little piece of common knowledge. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well just move the decimal point a little and it's 986"

"986?"

"Days…"

As realization and love bloomed within Wilson's eyes, destroying the confusion, House grinned slightly and limped away. Showing he cared wasn't so bad….so long as it only happened every 986 days.


	4. Articles

PROMPT 50 – ARTICLES

Greg House had not met James Wilson in school, as an intern, as a fellow, or on a secret mission in Europe (though that was his favorite rumor). He had, in fact, met Wilson in a medical journal as a name attached to an article. Wilson had been reporting the results of the new cancer treatment that had been given a trial at his hospital at the time and House had been intrigued. Not only did the article manage not to be utterly boring, but he could see a way that the treatment could be improved and made slightly more cost effective at the same time (he did know what the words meant, he just never applied them to his own treatments).

And so he had written to James Wilson.

Wilson had been surprised to receive the letter. It was somewhat akin to receiving a letter from Santa as a child. You weren't quite sure he existed, but you revered him all the same and it was like a letter from a higher power. In med school, some of House's articles had been used to illustrate a point, or as recommended (read: required) reading.

After he read the letter he had thought the Santa analogy wasn't strong enough. It was more like a letter from God.

When they finally met in person, James instantly realized he could never tell House about his reaction to the letter. Or thank him for it. Or tell him how much of a success his ideas had been. The man's ego might explode. And quite suddenly James wasn't sure that the letter had been from God, but rather from Satan…


	5. Hot

PROMPT 362- HOT

It was 110 degrees Fahrenheit outside and about 120 inside PPTH. The air conditioning was down for maintenance and wouldn't be back up until much later in the day. AS far as House was concerned he was in hell and this was punishment for all of the clinic hours he had skipped out on or forced on to his team over the years. Surely this was karma being paid off at a highly accelerated rate. Maybe in a past life he was Hitler or Mussolini or Genghis Kahn or had done something truly terrible. Like making tax forms.

There couldn't possibly be anything that could make his day any worse than it already was.

"House, clinic hours. Now."

As Cuddy clip-clopped away in her stylish yet affordable heels, House let out a weary groan. Thought too soon…


	6. Annoyance

PROMPT 39 – ANNOYANCE

The patient was a pianist. He was also being highly belligerent and, to be honest getting on Wilson's nerves. So he had called in the big guns. House would, at the very least, relate to the man on the musical level, if not the potentially crippling injury level.

The pianist's hands had been crushed while moving his precious grand piano through a narrow hallway, rather than let the piano itself be injured in any way. I t was unclear if the man would be able to play again because they had yet to get the x-rays they needed.

House slammed into the room, trailing bewildered ducklings and with a storm cloud of tension and irritation swirling around him in an almost visible way. "WHAT?!" The snarl in his voice reminded Wilson of the rabid dog the people down the street from him had had put down when he was a child. He shifted as blue eyes cracked like ice flows slamming shut in the artic, catching hapless ships in an icy embrace of death.

Maybe he shouldn't have called House after all…

Sensing weakness the patient snapped, raging at Wilson and then turning to House, lost in his world of physical and emotional pains. House took a more aggressive stance and instantly the pianist slammed back into the way, panting heavily (and, Wilson noted, remaining extremely careful of furthering the harm to his elegant hands).

"You can't know what I feel! This is the end, don't you see?! My music is more than my life! More than my soul! How could someone as cold as you ever understand?!"

Wilson knew that there were a few things that were on House's "Do Not Discuss" list. The most obvious was the leg, but his music, especially the classical instruments such as the piano, were not to be discussed. He would play guitar in front of people only because his father had thought the instrument was "manly" enough for his son. He wouldn't even look at a violin in front of anyone, and only played it when both the neighbors and Wilson were gone. This patient had just crossed the invisible line in the sand, and Wilson could see form his eyes that he knew it as well.

Much to the surprise of those who were better acquainted with House and his infamous temper, rather than exploding he merely took a deep breath and spun on his heel, a snarled "Follow me" his only words. The ducklings instantly began following, in a straight line behind House to Wilson's amusement. The patient silently fumed but followed as well.

And Wilson could hardly leave a patient now could he?

As soon as the third floor button lit up under House's touch, Wilson knew where they were headed. One of the wilder rumors of the hospital said that House had his own padded room in the psyche ward and that he sometimes went there during breaks to let his inner insanity take reign for a brief time. They were only partially right. There was a room reserved for House, but it wasn't because he was insane. Prior to accepting Lisa Cuddy's offer of employment, House had been working as a classical piano player in a very talented orchestra and was considering signing on long term. As a requirement of his contract, one room was sound proofed and set aside for his personal use.

Wilson had only ever been inside twice before. The walls were pure white and off set the mahogany of the grand piano beautifully. There was no other furniture or trappings, only the piano, which dominated the very center of the room. It was House's sanctuary. And he was letting not only his entire team inside, but also a complete stranger whose name he didn't even know.

House pulled the small key from his back pocket and gently unlocked the door, allowing it to swing free. The ducklings clustered close behind him, curious to see what secrets this room contained that made House believe it would force the patient into calmness. House limped to the bench and sat with a grace that defied his mutilated right leg.

Wilson shut the door behind the group with a faint click.

The expressions as the first few notes were struck were priceless, and for a moment Wilson ached with longing for a camera. As House swayed, rolling power down his arms from his shoulders and into the keys, emotions clear in the deep melody of his improvisation, Wilson allowed his eyes to fall on the other pianist in the room.

The patient's eyes were closed in rapture and his mangled finger tips twitched spasmodically as he fought to keep from playing along on a separate, invisible piano. When the music trickled to a close, the man opened eyes wet with tears and looked deep into House's eyes.

"Can you fix my hands?"

"I can fix them."

"And I'll play again."

"Yes."

Sometimes Wilson thought he might really love House.


	7. Center of the Sun

PROMPT 121- CENTER OF THE SUN

Sometimes being friends with Greg House was like being in the centre of the sun. His anger could leave burning scars, weeping blood and pain weeks after the formation. New skin stretched taunt, ready to tear for months until finally the scar built up and the hurt was largely forgotten. The scar always remained. 

Other times House's warm affection brought to mind lazy afternoons and summer time naps in the shade of trees. Picnics in parks and remembered lacrosse and soccer games. Lingering kisses on long Saturday mornings, tasting of pancake syrup and coffee.

And like the earth without the sun, without House Wilson would freeze. He'd lose everything that made him human, a metamorphosis into an ice statue, a machine. Without the bet, people thanking him for news of their immanent death would break him down, a little bit at al time until all that was left of James Wilson was a hollow shell.

Wilson really did love the sun.


	8. Anniversary

PROMPT 38 – ANNIVERSARY

PROMPT 38 – ANNIVERSARY

House had actually planned a big romantic dinner for their anniversary. He had reservations at Wilson's favorite up scale restaurant and had even purchased a tasteful blue tie for the event. 

But then the drunk driver had slammed into the driver's side of Wilson's Volvo.

House paced in the OR waiting room. Wilson had been crushed by the impact and rushed into surgery upon his arrival at PPTH to stop internal bleeding. Broken ribs, wrist and nose were just adding to the pain and causing more difficulty for the team working on him. One of his lungs had been threatening collapse when they took him back and House hadn't heard anything since.

So much for their anniversary.


	9. Closed Doors

PROMPT 137- CLOSED DOORS

Hallways.

Windows.

Closed doors on aquarium rooms.

Fish people open and close silent mouths, hand-fins swishing silently through space as an internal orchestra of angst swells. A thump-drag-step endlessly repeating, carrying his barracuda mind past the goldfish in their bowls. Minnows dragged along in his wake until a flash of teeth and silent snarl send them into labs.

Hiding behind the test tubes.

A second fish-man-fish begins to stalk-swim-walk beside. Matching the thump-drag-steps with a flash of tail and whirling hands. Harsh barracuda teeth give way to dolphin smiles and skitter crab laughter.

"Hey Wilson, you in the mood for fish tonight?"

* * *

A/N: ...I know..this is CRACK but...oh well. Happy Spring break to the world of student-slaves. If you turn your head on the side the words sort of make a fish shape. How did I get fish from Closed Doors? No freaking idea.


	10. All that Lives must Die

PROMPT 23- ALL THAT LIVES MUST DIE

House has always thought he'd go first. The drugs, the alcohol, his dangerous driving. It wasn't even an ironic death like kidney failure or cancer or something House could fix. Wasn't a death that House could save him from. Couldn't save him… It wasn't even a violent death, where shock and rage could mix and boil over until House finally felt he had something to fill that aching void. No, James Wilson had passed quietly in the night, inconveniencing no one but House, as usual.

It had been a massive stroke. Blockage in the brain. Even if Wilson had survived, he would've probably been paralyzed all down his left side and would have had to depend on others for everything for most of the rest of his life.

He would have hated it.

But House would've done it. Happily even, though he'd have complained the entire time. He'd have teased Wilson into being as independent as he could have been. Could have. But no….Wilson had suffered the stroke in his sleep and simply never woke up. Wilson had died. The thought echoed through the numbness.

All things that live must die.


	11. A Little More Than Friends

PROMPT 3 – A LITTLE MORE THAN FRIENDS

PROMPT 3 – A LITTLE MORE THAN FRIENDS

Chase had always suspected that House and Wilson were more than just friends. The ease between them, the way only Wilson was exempt for the majority of House's wrath, and a thousand other little clues that combined to form a giant arrow pointing to a relationship between them, far more intimate than friends.

Of course, he hadn't needed confirmation of that fact, he was perfectly content _not_ to know. He tugged at his hair and scrunched his eyes closed, desperately trying to think of anything but the memories that were seared eternally into his mind.

"Aaaaaugh!!"

It wasn't working.


	12. Baked Goods : Rated M

PROMPT 61 – BAKED GOODS

House groaned as Wilson froze when the telephone rang.

"Ignore it Jimmy, I'm almost ready to cum and if you stop now I'll never forgive you."

His love leaned in, shifting deliciously…then answered the phone with a rather breathless "Hello?"

"Wilson? Where's House? He's got a new case."

Hearing Cuddy's voice, House grit his teeth and grabbed the phone. Wilson, secretly evil bastard that he was, began to thrust again, making House's response rather jerky.

"Cuddy. Wilson and I. Are baking cookies. I'll be in. Later. Maybe."

A moan ripped through his throat before he managed to hang up.

"House? HOUSE?! You better --click"

Baking cookies indeed.

* * *

A/N: Dedicated to Boo and Peter.


	13. Strange Thing

PROMPT 420 – IT'S A STRANGE & FRIGHTENING THING TO SEE YOURSELF AT YOUR WORST

When Wilson asked him if he'd stolen the prescription pad, House knew he'd hit rock bottom. He was under investigation, had stolen medications, and had betrayed everyone who cared about him.

And then he'd sunk lower.

Wilson leaving him lying there in a pool of his own vomit had hurt. It had been such a soul wrenching pain that house had thrown up again and burst into agonized sobs.

And House had known that he had to change.

So he went to Tritter and accepted his deal. Anything to protect Wilson. And the bastard had denied him. But House had needed to change, wanted to change. So House went to rehab where they couldn't turn away people like him. He'd taken vicodin in rehab, but much less then he had before. He forced himself to learn to deal with his emotions, at least a little bit. He tried to cooperate with the therapists and even participated in the ridiculous activities, in his own way.

He'd thought his anatomically correct clay liver was great. It certainly had been a useful tool in convincing the alcoholics in the room that giving up the drink was the right choice.

And then the therapists suggested writing a letter apologizing to someone that their addiction had hurt. House had instantly known that he could never apologize in a letter. Not to Wilson.

And so he had agonized over what to say. He'd asked Wilson to come see him, but even as Wilson was being buzzed in, he hadn't known what he words he wanted to use.

But then he'd look into Wilson's eyes, and everything was easy again.

"I'm sorry."


	14. Photos

PROMPT 622 – PHOTOS

There were photos. Hundreds of photos. All over his desk in a sprawling chaos of scenes.

"What the hell?"

Wilson began to flick through a couple. Realizing that they were all of House at his most unguarded, he began to wonder how these pictures had been taken. Who managed to capture there little moments of the man Wilson loved?

"Do you like them?"

The vulnerability in House's voice was mirrored in the hesitant expression on his face.

"Of course! I love then. How'd you do it though?"

House grinned, vaguely embarrassed. "I got four Polaroid cameras and gave them to my team and Cuddy along with eight rolls of film each. Then they stalked me. Apparently all they really had to do was wait for me to look at you when I thought no one else was looking.

Wilson laughed and pulled House in for a kiss. A camera flashed.

* * *

A/N: Very fluffy I know. And, depressing, the htis on this story have dropped from 895 on chapter 1 to 62 on chapter 13. Is there something I'm missing that people want to see? I take requests...that, and only 7 or so reviews...it's kinda harsh.


	15. Cold

PROMPT 143 – COLD

When House was sick, the world suffered. However, he was so pathetic that, for the most part, the world forgave him.

"Differential diagnosis peoble." House honked his nose into yet another tissue and delicately balanced it on top of the unsteady mountain beside him.

"Could be lupus." Ah, Foreman. Resigned to the inevitability of the suggestion and thus making it early to get it out of the way.

"Oh yes. Of course it's lupus."

Foreman was understandably surprised. "It is?"

"No, you moron, it's never lupus."

Foreman glowered. When House was sick, the world suffered and the level of suffering was directly proportionate to where a person was located in relation to House. The closer a person was the more intense the suffering, unfortunately for House's team.

Suddenly Wilson slammed into the conference room like a well meaning hurricane. The ducklings blinked in shock as House was herded into his office armchair and gently covered with a blanket. His feet were propped up and he was given a bowl of soup as the ducklings looked on in awe.

When Wilson turned and saw their stunned expressions, he couldn't help but grin.


	16. Broken Pieces

PROMPT 101 – BROKEN PIECES

The empty bottle had made a most satisfying sound as it shattered. The pieces glittered under the light, reflecting in a thousand crazy ways. Angles achieved no other way.

And isn't that how he always worked? Breaking barriers and making connections no one else could see. He couldn't see it either sometimes. That was his greatest fear, that one day the connections would stop forming and he'd be left like the broken bottle. Shattered and forgotten, only ever reflecting other people's thoughts and actions.

House reached for his phone. With thoughts like these he shouldn't be alone, and he was sure that Wilson would be up for Chinese.


	17. Azure

PROMPT 57 – AZURE

"What color is _that_? Azure Up Chuck?"

Wilson defensively patted at his new tie. "I like it."

House snorted. "You would. You know Wilson, sometimes I worry that you're color blind. Or so deeply in the closet that you come out the wrong side of fashion."

"What?" Wilson choked and his fingers scrabbled uselessly at the air for a moment before they managed to find a pen to lock around, white knuckled.

"And then I remember that by regularly fucking me until I can't walk, which admittedly doesn't take that much effort but you get my point, you're pretty well out of the closet. So that just leaves color blindness. Are you?"

"Not…really…" Sometimes Wilson really wondered about House.


	18. Burning Memories

PROMPT 108 – BURNING MEMORIES

When House was younger, he had chewed tinfoil. The tiny jolt of agony through his jaws had distracted him when he needed it most and jump-started his mind. Most people couldn't stand the sight of him chewing foil either, and so the habit had the added bonus of keeping people from bothering him.

After the infarction he'd stopped chewing foil. He'd stopped doing a lot of things. He didn't want or need any more pain in his life. As it was, half the time he just lay in bed and read medical journals. Sometimes he'd play cards with Wilson, but James was newly re-married and House tried to get him to go home to his new wife as much as possible. No need for both their lives to be ruined, after all.

But House had a dream. Just a small dream, almost nothing in the grand scheme of things. He never told anyone about it but he had it all the same. One day he wanted to be out of pain enough that he could chew foil again. Not for the pain, but as a reminder that he was free of pain.

Alive and living once again.


	19. Denial

PROMPT 183 - DENIAL

House was thoroughly amused. Wilson was _so_ in denial that he might as well change his mailing address to "De Nile, Egypt". House had him backed up against his desk with the blind safely closed and Wilson's breathing was heaving and his eyes were dark with desire. House was willing to bet that the younger man's palms were sweating and that, if he just shifted his hips a crucial fraction, he'd find solid evidence of his friends lust.

"You, James Wilson, are in love with me."

"N-no I'm not! House, not everything is about you!"

"It's ok though."

"House I don- wait…what?"

"It's ok if you love me."

"Ok…?"

"I love you too, Jimmy."

* * *

A/N: just something fluff to counter the angst that keeps spewing onto the page. . and THAT wasn't gross mental imagery at all...


	20. Magic

PROMPT 491- MAGIC

House liked shoes. The high quality athletic sneaker that, in years passed, he'd been able to wear out in roughly 6 months. Now they lasted years. Shoes that were nearly 3 years old looked like he'd just bought them a week ago. He couldn't go out much in rain or snow, only really wearing the shoes around the hospital.

And no patient with any sense would ever puke on _House's_ shoes.

So House collected shoes. Red ones, blues ones, black ones. All top of the line. Sometimes he'd con Wilson in to driving him to New York just to buy the latest design.

But the shoes never really helped. No matter how many expensive athletic shoes he had and wore, they never erased the limp. His hand still ached at the end of the day from his cane. He couldn't run, could barely walk without support.

But House kept buying the shoes thinking that maybe, just maybe, the next pair would be the pair that gave him back to sports, and sports back to him.


	21. Crayon Drawn Portrait

PROMPT 159- CRAYON DRAWN PORTRAIT

When compared to his talent in medicine or music, House's artistic capabilities weren't all that impressive. He could draw anatomically correct organs and non-gender-specific humanoid figures but that was about the extent of his skills. But this stupid rehab program wanted him to "express" himself.

With crayons.

Since he was trapped in here (with nothing but blank paper and crayons to entertain himself for the past three days) he had decided to draw Wilson. So far it was going fairly well, though he was having difficulty getting the shade of brown just right in Crayon-Wilson's eyes.

It was hard to make wax look loving and caring.

Later that day when his lover stopped by, House couldn't help but bask in his presence like a cat in a patch of afternoon sunlight. The real thing was so much better than even the best of pictures.

…and the expression on the nurses' faces when he'd got up and kissed Wilson hello had truly been priceless.


	22. Are You There?

PROMPT 46 – ARE YOU THERE

House had never been sure about anything dealing with God or the afterlife. There were things he'd seen, thing he'd done, things he'd been through, that he had no rational explanation for. Most people would have called these things "acts of God."

Miracles.

But House had never been sure of God.

How could a truly loving God allow His creatures to suffer so much pain? House had heard all the rationalizations, but he had yet to find anything that truly justified the sort of pain he dealt with every day.

Both his own and others'.

And then there was Wilson. Most people would think that House having a friend like Wilson, much less having friends at all, would confirm God's existence, and normally House would agree. Except for one thing. Wilson was miserable. Three marriages and three divorces. Living in a hotel with _House_ as a best friend.

As House saw it, if God were really there, he'd be taking better care of Wilson.


	23. Definite Cool Cat

PROMPT 179 – DEFINITE COOL CAT

Greg House was 6'2", with piercing blue eyes and greying brown hair. While not heavily built, he could take care of himself in a fight and had great arm strength from both the years playing lacrosse in college and the physical therapy he'd had to do after the infarction. Many people found him to be intimidating.

As he swept into the clinic, already an hour late for work, he slid his sunglasses off with one hand while maneuvering his flame bedecked cane with the other. His eyes surveyed those waiting for treatment, automatically assessing and dismissing them as uninteresting. He shifted his knapsack strap that rested on his shoulder over the seam of his black and red leather motorcycle jacket and then slid his keys and sunglasses into one pocket. He pushed the button to call the elevator and waited impatiently for it's arrival, cane thumping rhythmically on the floor in front of him.

As the doors closed, shielding the public from those cool eyes, all those in the clinic could only wish they could carry such an aura of "awesome" around themselves.


	24. Drink

PROMPT 217 – DRINK

The water slid down his throat like an orgasm. A six and a half hour long surgery, but the cancer cells had been successfully removed. Now there was only a last batch of chemotherapy and, with luck, his patient would enter remission. But right now all Wilson wanted was a shower and some sleep.

He laboriously shed his scrubs, barely summoning up the effort required to toss them into the bin for cleaning rather than letting them simply fall to the floor. As he cranked up the hot water and let it sluice over his skin, he let his eyes fall shut and he slumped against the tile wall.

Hands startled him from his reverie. Eyes snapping open, he looked down into House's smile. The older doctor had commandeered a handicap shower chair and was perched on it, boxing Wilson into the corner. He nuzzled into his younger lover's hip, left hand lifting and stroking until Wilson was panting harshly in arousal. His right hand skittered and skated, barely touching in an electric sensation. As lips closed around him and drank him in, Wilson gave a reverberating groan that echoed slightly in the empty bathroom. His last coherent thought was a hope that no one would wander in until after House had drunk his fill.


	25. Devotion

PROMPT 190 – DEVOTION

Most people thought that Wilson was a devoted friend and lover. This was, of course, true. However, what most people missed was mow much devotion House had towards him.

True, House was a snarky, sarcastic bastard, but he was also fiercely loyal and, in private, was affectionate in all the little ways. A brush of the hand, a quite smile, playing Wilson's favorite songs when House knew that his lover had had a hard day or had lost a patient.

It was a silent devotion, a secret, private devotion. That's how House operated and Wilson wouldn't change it for anything in the world.

Even if it would stop people asking him why he was with House when he was wondering why House was with him.


	26. Sex : Rated M

PROMPT 730 – SEX

Wilson knew that if it were at all possible, House would top. His lover hated being vulnerable and occasionally tried to force Wilson out of his life from the pure terror of being close to another person.

Wilson never left.

It had taken three years from the official start of the romantic side of their relationship for House to be ready for sex. Wilson hadn't minded waiting. The first time had been a disaster. The second time had been worse, which Wilson hadn't been sure was even possible. After that Wilson took control and decided that he was going to be the one in charge when it came to matters of the bedroom.

Much to his surprise, House had completely and utterly surrendered that control to him.

Wilson had held house's wrists together above his head and used his other hand to carefully stretch and excite the man beneath him. At first House had snarled and struggled but Wilson could see the emotions in those gorgeous blue eyes and could feel the straining erection against his stomach and so he had continued on. House had panted and writhed and then gone completely stiff and still when Wilson thrust in.

Butterfly kisses and nips, his more dexterous left hand wandering over highly sensitized flesh until tense muscles unlocked. Carefully hooking lean, muscular legs higher on slim hips, Wilson slid out and then back in again slowly, drawing a shuddering gasp from both men at the bliss of feeling so connected. House whimpered and arched into Wilson, writhing until and arm hooked around his waist like an iron band forcing him to follow the rhythm and wait for what he was given.

Afterwards, Wilson had cleaned them up, house lying as limp as a doll, eyes foggy and mind obviously somewhere else. Coming back to bed, Wilson had gathered House into his arms and had been stunned when the older man snuggled closer.

So while Wilson knew that House would much prefer to top, he also knew that House was surprisingly content with bottoming.


	27. I Can't

PROMPT 371 – I CAN'T

"Tell me you love me."

Silence.

"Tell me that I mean _something_ to you."

A choked whimper.

"Tell me that you _need_ me."

Groaning. "I _can't_."

Brown eyes filled with hurt. "_Why not_?"

Desperation. "I **can't**"

Eyes harden, angry. "_**Why. Not?**_"

Whispering. Choking, "I just…I just **can't**, James."

Surprise. "You…called me James."

Caution. "…yes."

"You never call me James. It's always Jimmy or Wilson."

Confusion. Lessened tension.

A smile. "I guess I can accept that as a good enough sign."

Frustrated. "I _can't._"

Love.

* * *

A/N: Wow, 11011 hits. It's 11:11, make a wish.


	28. Zodiac

PROMPT 1000 – ZODIAC

House was born in the year of the Tiger. Luckily, Wilson was born in the year of the Dog and was therefore completely compatible. Really he'd been doomed from birth to be with House.

Wilson hadn't particularly liked this theory of House's.

But House liked it, even though he defied fate and didn't believe in any God as anything more than an obstacle to be overcome, as an opponent. He liked the idea that he and Wilson were Meant To Be.

Destined, as awful as that word was.

Wilson said he wasn't allowed to read the place mats in Chinese restaurants anymore.


	29. Once We Were Friends

PROMPT 582 – ONCE WE WERE FRIENDS

Once they had been friends. Then Wilson had gotten a little too drunk and confessed his love on the sofa. He hadn't realized that House wasn't nearly as drunk as he was. He'd woken up six hours later on the front step without his key.

That had hurt much more than anything else House could have done. A quite sign of rejection, House's way of showing he cared, was worse than a highly public humiliation. It showed he truly had no chance. No hope.

He saw House standing on the shared balcony. When they were friends that would've meant House wanted to talk. Now it probably meant he just wanted to be left alone by his team.

It was a strange world, this place where he was no longer friends with House.

A harsh rapping sounded on his glass sliding door. Wilson looked up, surprised, to lock with gorgeous blue eyes that were flashing fire. When it became obvious that Wilson wasn't going to get up and let him in, House angrily slammed the door out of his way and stalked into the room.

He was magnificent in his anger.

When House dragged him around the desk by his tie, Wilson was truly shocked. Very rarely did House actually resort to physical violence, especially when he knew that the other party would not fight back.

When House kissed him and slipped the key to the apartment into his back pocket, Wilson's brain went dead and tears welled in his eyes.

Once they had been friends.

Now they were more.


	30. Battle Scars

PROMPT 67 – BATTLE SCARS

House carefully peeled the bandaging off of his neck. The gunshot wound had been slow healing but, her was pleased to note, had left a barely noticeable scar. Being shot in a hospital was really the only way to do it. Where else would he have gotten such excellent and immediate care? No need for a gaping wound with ragged edges for the rest of his life. A little more time and a touch of Neosporin and he was sure it'd be almost invisible.

A gentle hand tracing the scar in the mirror broke House from his contemplation. He met Wilson's sad brown puppy eyes and was surprised by Wilson's murmuring, "The day you got this was one of the worst days of my life."

"What are the others?" House was intrigued.

"When my brother left, your infarction, and the day you woke up after the surgery."

House absorbed this for a moment before hesitantly remarking, "It seems that most of the worst days of your life were because of me."

Wilson smiled at him in the mirror and wrapped warm arms around his waist.

"Why don't you ask me about the best days of my life?"


	31. CLICHÉ ROMANTIC DATE

PROMPT 134 – CLICHÉ ROMANTIC DATE

Wilson had thought about making reservations at their favorite restaurant and having dinner by candle light with soft violin music in the background.

Wilson had thought about maybe having a picnic in the park. Just being outside and enjoying the sunshine.

Wilson had thought about driving the two of them into the countryside and seeing how far and fast they could go.

In the end Wilson ended up kissing House good morning, just like he always did, and going to work. House wouldn't have appreciated his grand romantic gestures anyway.


	32. Coffee

PROMPT 142 – COFFEE

House did _not_, as it was commonly thought, drink his coffee black. He wasn't actually a fan of anything too bitter, and so he loaded every mug secretly with sugar and cringed his way through every cup Cameron brought him without it.

Wilson brought him the best coffee. Creamy, sugary, high caffeine that wasn't so much coffee as flavoured milk and sugar. House loved those days when Wilson stopped at Starbucks before work.

Actually it was Wilson who drank his coffee black. Sometimes he and House switched mugs on the balcony because everyone assumed that Wilson liked his coffee with heavy emphasis on the milk and sugar.

Seeing Cameron approaching with another disgusting mug of bitter black beverage he quickly texted Wilson. Today was _not _a day to suffer black coffee. And maybe he could get a kiss from Wilson as well as get rid of the coffee…


	33. Faith Trust and Pixie Dust

PROMPT 251 – FAITH TRUST AND PIXIE DUST

"Here."

House shoved a medium sized wooden box into Wilson's hands. Opening the hinged lid cautiously and solemnly observing the powder filled baggies, sterile syringes, and glass vials filled with clear liquid. Wilson gently closed the lid, the quiet tap sounding loud to him in the silence. He looked up to see the steel determination in House's pale blue eyes.

"Now I'll know that I really need it. I trust you to give me what I need if I need it."

Wilson set the box aside and pulled House into his arms. House nuzzled into the embrace and they simply stood there for a moment, the box of House's trust resting on the edge of the desk.


	34. Ice Cream

PROMPT 389 – ICE CREAM

It should be illegal for House to eat ice cream in public. And God but Wilson wished he was that orange creme-sicle! It was _sinful_ the way that man was using his tongue to catch the stray melting bits of his icy treat.

He should have known that no good would come of this. House's expression had been far too innocent. And Wilson just had to be wearing jeans today.

As another lick flowed from the base to the tip of the popsicle, pausing there to swirl and suck lewdly before traversing down the other side, Wilson felt his resolve shatter and strode quickly back to the ice cream vendor.

When he got back with his newly purchased ice cream, he tore off the wrapper and grinned savagely at the now bemused House.

House quickly decided that it should be illegal for Wilson to eat ice cream in public.


	35. Schadenfruede

PROMPT 709 – SCHADENFREUDE

House couldn't stop laughing.

Wilson glowered and dabbed at the dark wet patch adorning his trousers from where he'd spilt his drink. He didn't have any other clothes to change into because earlier one of his patients had thrown up and this _was_ his spare set of clothes. And now it looked as if he'd wet himself. Joy.

Still snickering but taking pity on his friend House said, "If you want you can use the spares I keep in my office. They'll be a bit long but better than those."

Wilson was grateful, until he realized that he had to walk up to diagnostics in his wet trousers. His dismayed expression set House off again and it was another five minutes before they could finally head for House's office.

Over all, Wilson was having a very bad day.


	36. Afterglow

PROMPT 17 – AFTERGLOW

After sex, House usually took a vicodin and snuggled into his pillow. Cleanup was, as usual, left to Wilson. He just laid back and let Wilson take care of him in his moment of vulnerability. It was like he was floating, not quite in contact with his body and yet intensely sensitized to any touch.

Sometimes this feeling lasted for days and his team had learned not to touch their boss in even the most casual way since he'd begun having regular sex with Wilson. Which, of course, suited House just fine.

He liked cuddling when he was like this, which had obviously shocked Wilson the first time House had curled up against him, House remembered with a soft chuckle. As his younger lover crawled back into bed, House instantly wrapped his wiry, yet incredibly strong, arms around Wilson's torso. Enough thinking. Time to bask in the afterglow.


	37. Evil Can Be Cute

PROMPT 241- EVIL CAN BE CUTE

"You guys know you want to kiss each other, why don't you just admit it?"

House stared blankly at the bald, rail thin 8 year old. Beside him, Wilson's jaw dropped. The little devil disguised quite cleverly as a patient giggled, a perfect picture of innocence.

"What, exactly, gave you the impression that Wilson and I are gay for each other?" Wilson winced at both House's tone and word choice. Did the other man have to sound quite so horrified by that?

"Well…you act just like my mommy and daddy do."

House grinned evilly. "Who would you say is the mommy?"

The little girl thought for a moment. "Dr. Wilson." Wilson glowered at House as he snickered and limped out the door.

However, House's muttered comment (which Wilson was certain he hadn't been meant to hear) more than made up for it.

"I hadn't thought I was being so obvious."


	38. Allergic to Stupid

PROMPT 24- ALLERGIC TO STUPID

"House, you are needed in the clinic. Now. And I checked, General Hospital is a repeat today so there's no need for you to watch it. Go help the sick people."

After a brief pause to leer at the Dean of Medicine's cleavage, House smirked drawling, "But _mom_, I'm allergic to stupid."

Cuddy couldn't stop her lips from twitching into a short-lived grin. It rather ruined the glare she tried to pin house with.

"Seriously House. Clinic, now."

Watching Cuddy walk away occasionally made House wish that he wasn't in a deeply committed relationship with another man.


	39. Best Word Ever

PROMPT 78 – BEST WORD EVER

"Skink." "Skootch" "Frak."

"That one doesn't count, it's not even a word."

"Neither is skootch."

House rolled his eyes. This was the real reason he needed cases. When the ducklings got bored they regressed to the mental age of between 4 and 5.

…then again…

"Spelunking."


	40. Kissing a Cop

PROMPT 448 – KISSING A COP

When Tritter had said the deal was off, House was hit with sudden depression.

"Isn't there some way…" His eyes were vaguely panicked, he needed to be able to take the deal.

To make amends.

When the skeazy smile spread across Tritter's face like oil across the surface of the ocean, House felt the enormity of his mistake crushing down on him.

When Tritter yanked roughly on his hair and viciously smashed their lips together, tears sprang to House's eyes but he didn't resist. This was for Wilson. Tritter shoved him and he fell hard to the floor.

"Fucking faggot."

House curled up as much as he could, fiery pain shooting through his body and soul, and sobbed quietly to himself in the dark and empty office.


	41. Heat

PROMPT 339 – HEAT

"Wiiiiiilsooooooon!"

House had been trying to convince his young lover to go have hot sex in the janitors closet for the past hour. He'd been both creative and descriptive and Wilson was beginning to forget **why** it was such a bad idea.

"You're always saying that I need to express my emotions in healthier ways. Sex is perfectly natural and is scientifically proven to be good for you. And besides! It's Spring! All the cute little bunnies and chipmunks and squirrels are getting some, why shouldn't I?"

_Ah House, ever the romantic._

"Assuming I went along with this, what exactly do I get out of it? Besides the sex itself of course."

House blinked. It was obvious that by sleeping with Wilson, House was slowly converting the oncologist to the dark side.

"I'll buy you dinner."

"...for the next week?"

House looked pained. "6 days of eating out where I pay, just not in the same week."

"Deal!"

They shook hands briskly and then took off at a run, as best House could at least, to the nearest closet and slammed the door behind them.


	42. Black Roses

PROMPT 85 – BLACK ROSES

House always gave Wilson black roses. While the meaning was death, between Wilson and House it was more of a defiance of Death. They also paid more attention to the subtler meanings sadness and farewell, loss and mortality. House gave Wilson black roses when his patients died, and when they had fights. Wilson gave House black roses on the anniversary of his infarction, one rose for every second that he was clinically dead.

They exchanged a single black rose on their anniversary. Black roses can also symbolize the beginning of new things, a journey into unexplored territory, and their relationship had definitely been a change for both of them.

And years later, when House died, Wilson laid a bouquet on the casket and walked away.

His body was found three days later.


	43. Count the Stars

PROMPT 152 – COUNT THE STARS

Whenever Chase felt homesick, he'd count the stars. Stars were constants, always there even when you couldn't see them. Of course, where he'd lived in Australia there'd been many more stars. Less light pollution than here in New Jersey.

He heard the clinic doors swish open and shut behind him and the muffled thump of House's cane as the older man came to stand behind him. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, he saw House standing, head tilted back, eyes on the stars and could only wonder at how such a man could express such cruelty. How could anyone who could look at the stars like that look down on people so much?

House took a deep breath and let it back out in a slow sigh before limping back inside. Chase looked back to the sky.

He'd count the stars some more.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the huge gap in updating. I'm working on a fairly lengthy Doctor Who piece that should be posted here soon. It's really been taking up my time, along with the essays for testing out of an english class and all the classes I'm actually taking at university. _


	44. Ace of Hearts

PROMPT 9 - ACE OF HEARTS

"I raise." "I fold." "I'll match."

Blue eyes locked with brown. Electricity sizzled across the air. With a slight shuufff the cards hit the table.

"Straight flush!" "Full House!"

Wilson glowered, "That's just too coincidental."

House grinned brightly and collected his winnings. The other members of the game gradually began migrating towards the door as Wilson cleaned up the empty beer bottle scattered about on every available flat surface.

As he cleared up he noticed that there was an entire extra deck of cards by House's chair.

Whirling in outrage, his cry was silenced as lips met his in a passionate kiss, teeth clicking together and stubble rasping against his skin. As they pulled apart after several long moments, Wilson found himself holding a single card as House limped down the hall.

The Ace of Hearts.

* * *

A/N: sorry I haven't updated this in so long, but between my Doctor Who fic and college I just haven't had the time to type up stuff I've already got written.


	45. Airports

House pouted and slouched further down in the unyielding airport chair. He hated airports and flying and everything else involved in travel. Whoever said that "the journey was half the fun" had obviously never flown anywhere.

Tiny cramped seat without any leg room, sharing the air with way too many people, terrible food, what was good about it? Even the available booze was all way over priced. And if your plane was delayed? You could miss a connecting flight and have to stay in some crappy airport hotel with nasty uncomfortable beds and completely unsanitary bathrooms.

He shifted again, trying in vain to find a comfortable position.

There was nothing romantic about this, whatever Wilson was trying to sell him. They could have just as easily stayed at home and eaten bad Chinese food and watched old movies. And the beer at his house was already bought and paid for, no crazed over priced fruit juice cocktails at Casa del House.

This vacation had better be fucking amazing to put up with all this shit to get there.

* * *

A/N: Inspired by my recent trips to Cardiff, Wales; Rome, Italy; and Haerbin, China


	46. Waiting

House laid stiffly on the couch, several pillows propping up his leg. He'd over done the pacing a bit while thinking out his latest case. He'd come to the right diagnosis of course but now the vicodin just wasn't cutting it in the pain manage department.

As a particularly sharp bolt shot from his foot through up to his hip, House couldn't help but grit his teeth and hope that Wilson would be home soon. Otherwise he was in for an uncomfortable night on the couch and, he glanced around, if he was lucky a couple stale potato chips for dinner.

With a sigh, he shifted slightly in an attempt to get a little more comfortable and settled back to wait.

Wilson would come back soon.

Wilson would always come back for him.


	47. Christmas Carols

Wilson had been trying for years to get House into the Christmas spirit. He had yet to succeed.

House hated everything about Christmas. The songs, the obligatory gift giving, he barely even tolerated Christmas cookies. And heaven forbid anyone call him out on it in a Christmas themed way, like calling him Mr. Scrooge or the Grinch. It really wasn't worth the resulting rant about commercialized Hallmark holidays.

So when he caught House playing a Christmas carol on the piano in the apartment, Wilson was understandably shocked.

"I thought you hated Christmas songs?"

House looked vaguely guilty. "This one doesn't count! I heard it on the Doctor Who soundtrack…"

Wilson squinted at him, "You're such a nerd."

House laughed, "As if you have any room to talk!" and went back to playing.

"Borrow or steal, I'll find a way to be with my Lover, upon Christmas day! And I'll run and I'll roam, I'll cover the ground, this Christmas I'll see you, I'll be around!" House didn't often sing but his low baritone was just as pleasant as Wilson remembered.

He smiled softly as House continued to play. A Christmas miracle.

* * *

A/N: The song mentioned is "The Stowaway" from the Doctor Who 3rd series soundtrack. And it is, in fact, the only Christmas song I've ever liked.


End file.
